A Flickering Light Book 5: Rebirth of Darkness (Kingdom Hearts II)
by WolfWingsRandomWritings
Summary: Kingdom Hearts 2, no Mickey Mouse. Ignus's story continues!
1. Chapter 1: A Rushed Meeting

Sora walked into the station pavilion, flanked by Donald and Goofy. He looked around, not seeing any sign of the cloaked figure Pence had mentioned. Suddenly a Dusk popped out of the ground in front of him, swaying with too-smooth movements that made it seem like it was made of rubber. Sora took a combat stance as more and more of the silvery creatures surrounded the small party, prancing and spinning in circles around them. Sora drew his keyblade and went on the attack.

Despite his success, the wave of monsters seemed to be never-ending. Donald and Goofy collapsed as Sora started to waver, struggling to keep his keyblade up. The creatures' dancing movements seemed almost jubilant as they pounced.

"Inferaga!"

Sora looked up as a dark-cloaked figure dropped out of the sky and landed in front of him on one knee, plunging a golden keyblade into the cobblestones. Immediately, a ring of blistering flames swirled around Sora and his friends, burning the creatures to ash. The stranger stood and scanned the area as Sora recognized the keyblade in the man's hand before Donald and Goofy jumped over him.

"Ignus?" They exclaimed in unison.

"Could you keep it down?" Ignus spoke softly. "Board the train and leave town. The train knows the way." He tossed a small leather pouch into Sora's lap before running off through the streets.

"Was that the king?" Sora asked.

"No, but one of his top advisors!" Goofy explained. "You met him before, when we sealed the doors!"

"Now we know he's okay!" Donald cheered.

"So this…Ignus? He was locked in the realm of darkness, right?" Sora thought back.

"Uh-huh." Goofy confirmed.

"But we just saw him…" Sora trailed off, confused. "And if he's here, that means Riku's here!"


	2. Chapter 2: The Door to Darkness

Donald tried again. "Door…to…darkness?"

"Oh!" Sora moved forward and pointed out the letters. "D-T-D!"

"What's up?" Leon called from the doorway.

"Look at this! This must be the dataspace!" Sora exclaimed. "The DTD. See? The Door to Darkness!"

Leon looked over the sketch on the wall. "What do you know. But that still leaves the password."

"I might be able to help you with that." A voice came from the door.

Sora turned as Ignus pulled off the hood of his dark cloak.

"Ignus!" The group cheered.

Ignus waved them down as he closed the door behind him.

"Long time no see!" Sora ran over.

"You know, this undercover stuff would be a lot easier if you guys stopped announcing my identity to the world every time I show up. I'm barely avoiding the Organization's detection as is. So, you mentioned the Door to Darkness?"

"Yes, sir!" Goofy confirmed. "Ya see, we're lookin' for the secret password."

"Well, I don't know if it's a password…but the Door to Darkness can only be opened by the seven princesses. Snow White, Jasmine, Belle…"

"Of course." Leon turned and walked out.

"What's this for?" Ignus asked Sora. "What have you guys been doing recently? It's been hard to keep tabs on you."

"With that password, we can get access to Ansem's research data."

"So you might be able to find where he is?" Ignus asked hurriedly.

"Oh, stop joking around. We already defeated Ansem. You know that."

Ignus inhaled slowly and sighed. "Hoo boy, you guys are _really_ far out of the loop. I'm going to need to catch you up."

"We're listening!" Donald assured him.

"Okay…but first, I've got a question…" Sora began.

"Hey, isn't Tron waiting for you guys?" Leon interrupted.

Sora looked from Leon to Ignus and back again.

Ignus waved them off. "Don't worry. I'll stick around until you get back. Do what you need to. May your hearts be your guiding key."


	3. Chapter 3: Information Issues

"The data is corrupt." The computerized voice repeated.

"Stupid computer!" Sora began kicking the device.

"Sora!" Goofy protested.

Suddenly the screen displayed a picture of a man in a white coat with bright blond hair.

"Who's this guy?"

"Leon said you got the computer working, but I'm having serious doubts about your ability to use a computer." Ignus said from the doorway.

"Oh, Ignus!" Sora exclaimed.

"You really need to stop doing that." Ignus sighed. "Whatever. We should be able to extract the data we need from the computer."

"But it keeps on sayin' the data inside's all ker-skuffled." Goofy bemoaned.

"All we got is a picture of some guy we don't know." Sora gestured to the screen.

Ignus walked over to the computer and looked. "That's Ansem the Wise."

Sora looked at his friends, then back at Ignus. "Come on, are you teasing us again?"

"Did you forget what Ansem looked like, Ignus?" Donald teased.

"No, I met him when he worked with Master Hurayas. That's definitely him."

Sora walked over and took Ignus's hand. "Excuse me, could you come this way please?"

Ignus let Sora lead him by the hand back into the study, where the framed portrait of Ansem was propped against the wall.

"Look, THIS is Ansem." Sora insisted. "You know, the guy we all worked reeeally hard to defeat?"

Ignus snapped his fingers. "Right, I never brought you all up to speed. Well, the man in the painting there is the one who tried to take over Kingdom Hearts, which you guys defeated. Great job on that, by the way. But I've been gathering new information since we closed the doors. That wasn't Ansem you fought, just his Heartless. He told everyone he was Ansem, but he wasn't the real Ansem."

"You mean…" Sora trailed off. "We went through all that trouble to defeat an imposter?"

"Well, fake or not, he still had to be stopped." Ignus replied. "And your victory is an achievement considering his power."

"I can't believe it." Donald cried.

"Uh, I'm kinda confused." Goofy added. "If he's a fake, then what happened to the real Ansem?"

"Well, that's what I'm trying to find out. Ansem the Wise was big into research on hearts. He should have a ton of critical information on what's been happening to the worlds, and maybe even on Organization XIII. All things that would make him a big help to us." He snorted. "If I could find him. I came close once, but…no dice." He shrugged. "And now, the more recent developments are keeping me busy."

"Don't tell me there's more? I'm lost enough as it is." Sora complained.

"Well let's see. Some feller named Ansem, who wasn't really Ansem, became a Heartless." Goofy summarized. "Does that mean a Nobody got created when that happened too?"

"Right. And that Nobody is the leader of the Organization."

"Whaaat?" The group shouted.

Ignus pointed to the painting. "I know I've met this fake Ansem before, and I've seen the leader of Organization XIII too. The feeling I got from both of them was almost the same."

"So, where did you meet this guy?" Sora asked.

"Organization XIII's headquarters." Ignus looked over his shoulder at the others' shocked expressions. "What? I've been busy. Anyway, Ansem the Wise – that's the real one – should know this imposter's true identity. That information could give us an edge against whoever it ends up being. Which, long story short, is why I'm looking for Ansem."

"You…you started all of this!" Sora growled at the painting.

"It can't hear you, Sora, it's a painting." Ignus reminded him.

Sora ignored him. "Because of you, Riku and Kairi…Oh, Ignus! Do you know where Riku is?"

"I haven't heard from him in too long."

"Are you sure?" Sora begged.

"I'm sorry Sora. I can't help you."

"What about Kairi? Organization XIII might've kidnapped her."

"That would be bad. I wanted to get back to hunting down Ansem the Wise, but I can put that on hold if you need me to check on Kairi."

A massive boom shook the castle, Ignus dropping automatically into a low combat stance.

"That must be from outside!" Sora exclaimed.

"That's trouble if I've ever heard it. Let's move!" Ignus ran out of the study.


	4. Chapter 4: Into Battle

Sora and his friends stopped at the edge of the collapsing wall and looked out over the violet plateaus around Hollow Bastion.

"Whoa…" Sora breathed.

A veritable sea of armored Heartless were marching towards the city, others floating above the ranks of their allies. More approached from the cliffs surrounding and jumped down, joining the horde. Sora could see Yuffie, Stitch, Cloud, Leon, Tifa, all of his allies fending off the hordes of dark creatures to keep them away from the town.

"Leon, everybody – hang in there."

Sora started forward, but Ignus suddenly appeared in front of him. "Sora, you said you wanted to go find Riku and Kairi, right? Get going."

"But Leon and the others are my friends too!"

"Don't worry, they can handle themselves. And either way, I'll help them out."

"But I promised Leon…"

"Donald, Goofy! Take him and go!"

"Riku, Kairi…" Sora muttered to himself. "Give me a little more time, okay?"

Ignus scanned the battlefield as Donald and Goofy talked Sora into leaving. Suddenly, all three ran past him and jumped to the ground below.

"We're sorry!" Sora called back up.

Ignus sighed and dove after them. "Just stay together and watch each other's backs, okay?" He pointed. "Go down that canyon, I'm going to go give Yuffie a hand." He ran off and jumped over a boulder, disappearing from sight.


	5. Chapter 5: The Battle for Hollow Bastion

"Anyone from the Organization who'd like to be next?" Sora challenged the air as Demyx faded.

"Hey, Sora!" Donald cried. "Don't antagonize them!"

"Yeah, we gotta go help our friends out first." Goofy agreed.

"Oh, sorry." Sora replied sheepishly.

"So you're all still in one piece." Ignus called, approaching the group from behind. "You seem pretty dedicated to helping every single friend you've ever made, Sora. Well, let's make it a little easier. Help me gather everybody up. We'll regroup at the entrance to the city and try to halt the Heartless' advance there."

"Yes, sir!"

Suddenly an explosion came from the cliff above them, raining rocks down into the area.

"Get down!" Ignus called, slicing a rock in half with Spark.

Sora and the others dove for cover until the small hail ended. It was only then that Sora noticed Goofy slumped against the wall.

"Goofy!" He cried as the group rushed over. Donald and Sora shook their friend's limp body and called his name to no avail.

"Sora, we can't stay here."

Sora looked up. Ignus was looking further down the canyon where a wave of Heartless was approaching.

"We can come back for him later. Right now, there are other people who need our help. If we can get the attention of the Heartless, then we can end this quicker and come back to check on Goofy." Ignus brought his fist to his shoulder and a brilliant light blinded Sora for a second. When it faded, Ignus's cloak was replaced by a suit of red-bronze armor covering his body. The Heartless charged when they saw it, and Ignus charged to meet them, reciting the Oath of Spark and Inferno to summon his keyblades. Sora hesitated for a moment by his friend's body before joining Donald to run after Ignus.

After cutting through the swarm of Heartless, Sora finally found Ignus and Donald in a cave full of crystals.

"Sora! Good, you caught up." Ignus walked over to put a hand on Sora's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sora panted, "But…"

"Oh, Goofy…" Donald wailed.

"Hey, fellas!" The whole group turned to the mouth of the cave to find Goofy waving at them. "Ya know, that really hurt!"

"Lucky dog…" Ignus shook his head.

"Gawrsh, I get bumped on the head all the time." Goofy reminded him.

Sora laughed as Donald marched over to Goofy. The duck swung his wand and smacked Goofy in the knee with it.

"That hurt too!" Goofy complained.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Donald steamed.

"Great to see you back, Goofy. But we need to move." Ignus turned to the other exit of the cave. "The others are still fighting out there. They might need our help."

Ignus led the group from the cave until they found the army of Heartless. The creatures were standing completely still, barely even twitching. The sound of stomping metal feet was now replaced with only the whistling of the wind.

"What's with them?" Sora asked.

"Hey!" Goofy pointed high up on a cliff where a dark corridor had just produced a figure in the black robe of the Organization. The figure removed his hood and looked down at them.

"It's the guy who's NOT Ansem!" Donald exclaimed.

"Wait…seeing his face now…" Ignus muttered

"You mean it's his Nobody!" Goofy agreed.

"The leader of Organization XIII…" Sora said.

Ignus suddenly froze. "That's it…I know who he is!"

[Flashback]

Ignus was standing in front of Ansem the Wise's desk in his study. "Sorry to bother you like this, Ansem, but with Master Hurayas dead…" Ignus paused to collect himself. "With my master dead, you're the only one I can come to for advice on this matter."

"Don't apologize. I'm glad we have the opportunity to speak like this, my friend." Ansem gesticulated with the ice cream block in his hand. "I'm intrigued by your hypothesis…and I'm finding it difficult to stave off the urge to test it. Still, I'm concerned about the stability of the worlds. The doors that appeared. The place the Heartless seek. I fear my research may have brought this upon us…"

Ansem stopped and Ignus turned to the knock at the door. A man in a lab coat walked in.

"Master Ansem." The man bowed. "Regarding the experiment I presented the other day…with your permission, I'd like to proceed."

"I forbid it!" Ansem rose from his chair and beat a fist on the table. "Forget this talk of doors, and the heart of all worlds. That place must not be defiled!"

"But Master Ansem!" The man argued. "I've been thinking…"

Ansem shook his head. "Xehanort. Those thoughts are best forgotten."

The apprentice looked like he wanted to argue, but composed himself, bowed, and shut the door as he left.

[End flashback]

"Xehanort! That's his name! He was Ansem's apprentice a long time ago!" Ignus cried. "Which means the leader of Organization XIII is Xehanort's Nobody!" Ignus swung Spark and Inferno and charged up the slope.

"Let's go!" Sora called to his friends, but the army of Heartless sprang into action again, surrounding the trio as they drew their weapons.

"Move it!" Sora shouted at the armored creatures.

"We can't let Xehanort get away!" Donald called.

Sora shared a look with the other two, and they all ran to meet the surrounding hoard of Heartless.


	6. Chapter 6: Mansion Meetup

"See? There's gotta be another town out there like this one." Haynor explained. "That would explain how Ignus got that pouch and the crystal. Everything makes sense."

Sora looked blankly at Goofy. "It…does?"

"That other town must be where whatever's missing from here went!" Pence said.

"Like Kairi." Olette added.

"I get it!" Sora nodded. He heard a sound behind him and turned to see Dusks appearing out of the ground. One of them shook and jumped high into the air to attack. Suddenly, Ignus appeared like a shadow behind it and cut the creature out of the air, flipping to land in front of Sora.

"Watch yourselves! Sora, with me!" He called.

**(Fight Scene song: You Will Know Our Names)**

Ignus let Spark disappear as the last Nobody vanished. "Glad I caught up to you. Good news, I found out where Ansem is. The real Ansem the Wise. He's been hiding out in the stronghold of Organization XIII, right under their noses."

Sora nodded. "And we've figured out where Kairi is! I'm pretty sure we're right!"

"So then what are you all doing here?"

"Someone gave us a clue."

"A clue…from…someone?" Ignus asked suspiciously. "Loving the specifics here."

"Sora thinks it mighta been Riku." Goofy explained.

"It's just a feeling I had." Sora agreed.

"Well, you're probably right. Keyblade wielders have always been able to sense the hearts of others, and you and Riku have a stronger bond than most."

"Then Riku's okay!" Sora exclaimed. "Okay, I've waited long enough, Ignus. Tell me what you know!"

"I can't Sora. I promised I wouldn't."

"You made a promise to Riku? So he's okay! I can see him again!" Sora cheered.

"Don't get your hopes up, Sora. That was months ago and I haven't heard from him since. A lot can happen in that amount of time."

"Huh? Who's Riku?" Haynor asked.

"My best friend." Sora replied proudly.

"That's it!" Pence agreed.

"Ignus?" Olette approached. "You got the pouch with the crystal from Riku, didn't you? And you promised not to tell, right?"

"I can't confirm or deny anything you've said."

"That's enough, stop pestering the advisor!" Donald said.

"Yeah, let's go!" Sora turned towards the mansion. "Riku, Kairi, we're on our way!"

Notes:

You Will Know Our Names: watch?v=7OfNgkxkM_o


	7. Chapter 7: The Mansion Computer

Ignus led the way into the basement of the mansion. Eventually, he pointed at a jumble of screens in a corner. "There. That's our computer."

"How does it work?" Donald wondered.

"Please don't try kicking it again." Ignus sighed.

"I can handle it." Pence said confidently. He sat down in the chair and began typing. "Okay, here we go…Ah!"

"What's wrong?" Haynor asked.

"I can't go any further without a password." Pence sighed.

"Well unless it's another Door to Darkness system…" Ignus mused. "Anyone? Guesses on the password?"

"Well, we have this photo." Goofy said.

"And the salty-sweet ice cream bar!" Donald reminded him.

"Yeah, the one Donald ate up." Sora teased.

"It was in the box right next to the photo." Goofy remembered.

"Pence, try 'sea salt ice cream.'" Ignus suggested. "Ansem the Wise used to love the stuff, he kept having to rewrite notes because they'd get melted ice cream on them."

Pence nodded and entered the password. "It worked!" He exclaimed.

A small beam of purple light appeared near the computer. Sora's group walked over.

"Let's go!" Sora said.

"We'll be here to hold down the fort." Haynor reassured him.

"Say hi to Kairi." Olette added.

"You bet!" Sora nodded.


	8. Chapter 8: Assault on Organization XIII

Ignus walked beside Sora and the others as they approached the edge of the dark chasm. The headquarters of Organization XIII loomed above them, hanging in the space above the pit, its lower section slowly rotating.

"Dead end?" Sora wondered aloud.

"There's a way in somewhere down here. I saw Axel use a bunch of ways in and out that went through this area. Hopefully, he left a back door unlocked."

A bright light shone from one of the spires high up in the castle. As Sora shielded his eyes, his keyblade appeared in his hand. Sora extended it and a beam of light shone from the end, creating a shimmering pathway up into the fortress.

"Kairi, we're almost there." Sora breathed.

"Go get her." Ignus nodded. "I'll cause a diversion if I can, then see if I can locate Ansem the Wise." He swung Spark and it glowed, transforming into giant key-shaped wings on his back. "May your heart be your guiding key. See you on the inside." He said, pushing off.


	9. Chapter 9: An Old Friend

Ignus dashed through the corridors of the fortress, finding another ramp that led him higher up. The castle was starting to be infested with Heartless and Nobodies, he thought, as he cut through a few of them on his way up. He reached the top and saw a group of Dusks standing over a red-robed body. Ignus moved in quickly and sliced the group to pieces. The figure stood slowly, revealing the red-wrapped visage of DiZ. He stumbled, and Ignus caught him, helping him rise. DiZ reached up and unwrapped the bindings on his head, slowly revealing the face of…

"Ansem the Wise." Ignus inclined his head respectfully.

"It's been too long, my friend." Ansem replied.

"So then why didn't you come to me before now? Before the situation got this bad?"

"Xemnas, the Organization's Superior, is the Nobody of Xehanort, my foremost apprentice. The burden was mine to bear."

"That's it? That's your best excuse?"

Ansem wandered over to the rail and looked out over the darkness. "I won't deny there was more. I was…obsessed with thoughts of revenge. My apprentice stole everything precious to me, my research, and my pride."

"I won't help you with that. I'm not jeopardizing the promises I've made for your revenge."

"I know. Riku's told me a thousand times."

"You know where he is then?"

"He must be with his friends by now. Riku has been a great help to me. I found him wandering the darkness, after you and he lost track of each other."

"He told me he was still having trouble with Xehanort's Heartless, and he wanted to deal with it alone. That I get, but it doesn't explain why he looks like that now, when his heart is his."

"I am to blame. When I met Riku the first time, he still had the appearance of a boy. Probably because he had such a strong heart. I asked him to find a young man named Roxas from Organization XIII and bring him to me. When I told him it would help Sora awaken from his slumber, Riku left without a word."

"That's Riku for you. Despite everything he's been through, his love for his friends stays strong."

Ansem nodded. "He fought Roxas. And I can only surmise Riku lost that fight. Riku must have realized then: to fight in the realm of darkness, he would have to immerse himself in that same darkness. And when he did…you saw what became of him."

"Xehanort's Heartless took him?"

"When Riku brought Roxas back to me, he was introducing himself…as Ansem. If that was what it took to awaken his friend, he was ready to live in darkness. Riku was the victim of my revenge. Oh, how my heart ached. I could only laugh to hide my shame."

"So then, after that was when he came to see me." Ignus speculated. "He said he wanted to help Sora, but he made me promise that I wouldn't let Sora find out what happened to him when he fell into darkness."

"My friend, the time has come. I must make amends to these young people." Ansem turned and walked over to pick up the strangely-shaped device on the ground. Ignus walked with him back inside the fortress.


	10. Chapter 10: Ansem's Machine

Ignus and Ansem walked into the main section of the keep, Ansem shouldering his contraption. As they reached a balcony, Ansem paused, and Ignus looked over the side to see Riku and Kairi fighting back-to-back against the surrounding Heartless.

"I'm going to help them!" Ignus declared, starting to recite the Oath of Spark. Ansem interrupted him.

"Sora and Riku are together. We have no part to play here."

Ignus paused for a moment, looking down at the two warriors. "Do you think Riku can change back?"

"Riku chose that form so he could use the power of darkness. It won't be easy." Ansem turned. "Just how it isn't easy for you to release Inferno when your heart is set."

"No." Ignus nodded, turning to join Ansem. "And I don't suppose it ever will be."

"This spot should do." Ansem announced.

Ignus looked around as Ansem set down the device. They were on one of the outer causeways of the fortress, the spires of the castle illuminated by the shining light of Kingdom Hearts.

"This device you've been carrying. What exactly does it do?" Ignus asked.

Ansem continued setting up the supports of the machine. "It's a device to reclaim Kingdom Hearts and encode it as data."

"You think you can actually encode the entirety of Kingdom Hearts?"

"I do not claim to know the outcome of this venture. After all, hearts are unpredictable."

"You don't need to tell me that." Ignus muttered as the device began to shake. A bright disk of light formed around the end, then shot like a laser to Kingdom Hearts.


	11. Chapter 11: Friends Lost snd Found

Ignus looked up quickly as the machine's shaking became more erratic. The beam to Kingdom Hearts looked more jagged and irregular, and small bits of light were sprouting from it.

"I'm guessing that's bad?" Ignus asked.

Ansem began to chuckle, his laugh distorted by the shaking of his machine as he tried to stabilize it with his body. "I'm a fool." He declared. "I've spent years studying the workings of the heart. Yet it seems I still haven't learned a thing."

"Those weren't really the words I wanted to hear coming from the man with the heart encoding laser machine…" Ignus said dryly.

"The process of encoding hearts is incalculable. The inhabitants of my Twilight Town were data created from real hearts. I was convinced that they would think and behave the way I had envisioned, but I couldn't have been more wrong. A heart is so much more than any system. I saw it when Roxas and Kairi crossed paths. I knew, but I was too stubborn to accept it. It's always the same. I try to wrap my mind around things my heart already knows, only to fail. While I was trying to bring Sora back, I had so many plans in store. But once Sora was an acting force, they fell apart. All my research amounted to nothing, compared with that one boy's heart."

A crackling noise began to come from the beam. "Ansem! Step back from the machine!"

"All the more proof that hearts cannot be contained by data." Ansem shook his head. "Run, my friend! It's going to self-destruct, and anything could happen!"

"Ignus!" Sora appeared at the edge of the platform.

"Sora," Ansem turned to the boy, "the rest is up to you. And Roxas, I doubt you can hear me, but…I am sorry."

Ansem lowered his head in shame. Bolts of energy began to course up the machine and through his body.

"Ansem!" Ignus stepped forward.

"My heart is telling me what I must do." Ansem protested. "Please allow me to do what it says!"

"That doesn't mean I have to let you die!" Ignus moved closer but was caught by Riku.

"His heart's decided." Riku said quietly. "We can't change that."

They both jumped as a dark vortex appeared and Xemnas stepped out.

"I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts." The Nobody mused. "And look, here you all are. How convenient for me." He turned to the man at the machine. "Ansem the Wise…you look pathetic."

Ansem did not turn to respond. "Have your laugh. I deserve as much for failing to see you for the fool you are."

"Students do take after their teachers." Xemnas replied. "Only a fool would be your apprentice. After all, none of this would have happened without you. You are the source of all Heartless. It was your research that inspired me to go further that you ever dared."

"I admit…my disregard brought chaos to more worlds than one. But what were _you_ seeking? You erased me from the world, only to take my name and continue research better left forgotten. Is this the answer you've been looking for?"

Xemnas seemed unmoved by Ansem's challenge. "All that and more. I'm carrying on what you yourself began, and I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time. I thought you'd praise me, but all you ever do is hold me back. I understand though. Unlike me, you have a heart. And you're powerless to control it. Consumed by the jealousy you feel toward the student who surpassed you."

Ansem was silent for a moment. "Xehanort. Foolish apprentice of a foolish man. You have surpassed nothing – only proved how little we both know. We may profess to know the heart, but its essence is beyond our reach. We're both ignorant, as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world you try to create…" Ansem finally turned around. "Any world of yours would be an empire of ignorance! That is why you and your creation are destined to fall." Ansem turned back to the machine. "We've said enough!" He announced. "Riku, you know what to do!"

Riku nodded. Ansem looked to Ignus. "Ignus, my friend, forgive me. Farewell!" He called as the crackling sound became a building whine and a blinding light burst from the machine. Riku turned to shield Sora and Ignus covered Kairi. When the explosion faded, a bright column of light formed, feeding into a swirling spiral above the platform.

Ignus was the first to regain consciousness. His eyes quickly swept the area. There was no sign of Xemnas, Ansem, or the machine.

"Riku!"

Ignus followed Sora's cry to the fallen boy's body. Riku rose to his hands and knees with effort. He wore his own face, the blindfold across his eyes.

"Ansem did say anything could happen when that thing exploded." Ignus offered his hand. "Welcome back to your body, Riku."

"Riku," Sora said after they'd all gotten to their feet, "you gonna take that off?"

"Oh." Riku pulled the blindfold off and opened his eyes, eyes back to the brilliant blue they were before the darkness.

"What was that?" Sora asked as Ignus approached.

"His eyes would always have exposed him. He had to hide them."

Sora wheeled on his friend. "And just who were you trying to fool? Huh? Huhh?"

"Myself."

"Riku…c'mon man! Why did you try to do so much on your own? You've got friends, like us."

Riku turned to Sora. "Have you forgotten? I'll tell you why. Because I'm not a total sap like you."

"Say that again!" Sora protested.

"Boys, as much fun as I'm sure you're having…" Ignus interrupted.

The pair joined him as he looked up at Kingdom Hearts. The massive heart seemed to be missing the middle section, and pink lights of hearts were streaming towards it. They looked over the railing to see a swarm of Heartless rapidly climbing the walls towards them.

"What should we do, Riku?' Sora asked.

"We must defeat Xemnas. He's the Organization's last survivor."

"Right!"

Riku tore his cloak off and tossed it to the wind. "C'mon!" He led the way higher into the castle.


	12. Chapter 12: Unexpected Aid

"Sora! Riku!" Kairi pointed towards the windows of the hall, where Heartless were pouring over the edges like water and forming a massive tide that rushed up the ramps towards them.

"There's gonna be no end to this." Riku complained.

"Together we can stop 'em!" Sora insisted.

"Form up!" Ignus called.

In a flash of light, Maleficent and Pete appeared in front of them. "Be gone from here! Leave these creatures to us!" She commanded.

"But there's no way we can take 'em all!" Pete complained.

"I will be sending them after Xemnas." Maleficent indicated the boys. "Or, perhaps you would rather fight them yourself?"

Pete thought for a second. "Frankly my dear, I'd rather run!"

"Off with you then!" Maleficent declared.

Pete backed away, finding himself facing Ignus as he turned. "Well, if it ain't the king's favorite pet!"

"If you're planning to run away, I'd suggest you stop wasting time." Ignus said dryly.

"What, like abandon ship? I don't think so!"

"Sora. Advisor. Do not forget…" Maleficent said over her shoulder. "When I've destroyed them all, this castle shall be mine!"

"Now lookie here. Opportunities like this don't come along every day, ya know." Pete said to Ignus. He ran over to join Maleficent. "Bring 'em on!"

"Well, he always wanted to be a hero." Ignus shook his head. "We need to hurry."

"But…" Sora protested.

"They're going to follow their hearts. We need to let them, and follow ours. Let's get moving."


	13. Chapter 13: The Folly of Xemnas

The group arrived at the top of the fortress to find Xemnas standing with his hands raised before the giant heart in the sky.

"Oh, my Kingdom Hearts…ruined." He bemoaned. "Now I'll have to start all over again. Warriors of the Keyblade!" He turned. "Go forth, and bring me more hearts!"

"No!" Riku and Sora exclaimed together, summoning their keyblades. Ignus began reciting to himself.

"Denizens of light, answer this: Why do you hate the darkness?"

"We don't." Ignus replied as Inferno appeared in his hand. He looked over the dark weapon. "We don't hate the darkness. We fear it, struggle with it, and accept it. This world is made of both light and darkness. Neither can exist without the other, and they must keep the balance. People aren't scared of the dark…"

"They're afraid of who's lurking inside it!" Riku finished.

"Then allow me another question." Xemnas continued. "You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark, never given a choice?"

"It's simple." Riku called. "It's because you mess up our worlds."

"We don't hate you for what you are. Only for what you do." Ignus said.

"That may be." Xemnas admitted. "However, what other choice might we have had?"

"Just give it a rest!" Sora raised his keyblade. "You're Nobodies! You don't even exist! You're not sad about anything."

Xemnas's laugh was short and there was no humor in it. "Very good. You don't miss a thing. I cannot feel sorrow, no matter what misery befalls the worlds. No matter what you think, what you feel, or how you exist."

Xemnas raised his hands and points of light began to shoot up from the floor. When they vanished, Sora and Xemnas were gone.

"Sora? Sora!" Riku yelled, running to the balcony and looking around for any sign of his friend. Ignus let Inferno fade and recited the Oath of Spark. He sat cross-legged with the keyblade, letting his senses reach out, feeling around him for Sora's heart.

"Ignus?" Kairi approached hesitantly.

"I can feel he's not gone. But with Kingdom Hearts so close I can't get a good read on where he is."

Riku was still yelling over the side for Sora. Kairi joined him.

Ignus closed his eyes and tried again. He could feel the faint remnants of Sora's heart. Suddenly, it spiked. Ignus looked to his left as Sora dropped out of thin air and onto the stone floor. Everyone rushed over as he got to his feet.

"You okay?" Ignus asked quickly.

"Where's Xemnas?" Sora demanded.

Ignus closed his eyes for a second. "Up there!"

Everyone looked up. The Nobody was floating in Kingdom Hearts above them.

"Hear me, Kingdom Hearts!" Xemnas's voice boomed. "It seems we must begin anew. Ah, but know this: I will give to you as many hearts as it takes. Mark my words. You can no more be complete without me than I without you. Heed me Kingdom Hearts! Lend me your power, so that we may be complete. The power to erase the fools that hinder us."

"Xemnas, this is madness!" Ignus cried.

"Hearts quivering with hatred…"

"Xemnas! Don't!" Sora shouted.

"Hearts burning with rage…"

"You'll never win!" Donald shouted.

"Hearts scarred by envy…That fool Ansem said the heart's true nature was beyond his understanding. But it's not beyond mine! Hearts are the source of all power!"

Xemnas and Kingdom Hearts glowed blindingly, forcing the others to shield their eyes. He was gone when they could see again.

"Xemnas, you can't hide from us!" Sora called.

"We can't let him get away. Not now." Ignus agreed.

"Look at that!" Kairi pointed as a pair of massive stone doors appeared, floating in the sky.

"What's goin' on?" Goofy wondered aloud.

"Let's go." Riku said. "Xemnas must be inside."

"That door must be to Kingdom Hearts." Ignus answered. "The worlds gave us this doorway so we could protect their destiny."

"How does that work?" Kairi asked. "And how do you know that?"

Ignus shrugged. "Best guess."

"Once we go through, there's no turning back. It's victory or oblivion." Riku remarked.

"Xemnas is probably waiting for us in there, and he's probably much more powerful." Ignus agreed.

Riku turned to his friend. "So Sora…are you ready?"

Sora nodded. He, Riku and Ignus all raised their keyblades as light shone from the end. The light shot in three beams into the sky, and the massive doors creaked open.

"Get ready, Xemnas…" Sora declared. "It all ends here!"


	14. Chapter 14: Divided, Not Conquered

Through the doors, the group arrived in a dark city of towering buildings. Between the spires soared a massive silver creature with the Organization's logo all over it. Xemnas stood on top.

"So…it seems your hearts have led you to obliteration. Perhaps it doesn't pay to be too loyal to one's heart. I will have to be sure and remember that."

Xemnas pointed, and a building uprooted itself and flew at the group. They all ran for cover.

"And now he's throwing buildings!" Ignus complained as he pulled Kairi out of the way and rode the shockwave of impact. He landed roughly and the doors swung closed behind him.

"No!" Riku exclaimed.

"I'll keep her safe!" Ignus yelled. "Finish this! Finish it!"

He barely got the last word out as the doors shut.

Ignus and Kairi landed back on the top of the Organization's Castle. The closed doors hung over them silently.

"No!" Kairi yelled. "They're stuck in there!"

"Kairi!" Ignus's voice was tight. "We can't do anything for them now. Do you still have your keyblade?"

Kairi summoned it into her hand. "Yes…"

"Then I'd appreciate your help until they come back."

Kairi looked around to see Heartless climbing over the railings. She moved over to Ignus as he summoned Spark.

"Stay close. Cover my back and I'll cover yours." Ignus said. Kairi nodded.

**(Fight Scene Song: Dark Colossus)**

Notes:

Dark Colossus: watch?v=Hc0U4Ik1yN4


	15. Chapter 15: The End of the Organization

Ignus stood panting as the last Heartless vanished. He straightened out of his fighting crouch and smiled at Kairi. "You're pretty good with that thing."

Suddenly the doors creaked open and a group of figures flew out.

"Sora! Riku!" Kairi exclaimed.

As their friends hit the ground and joined them, the doors produced another figure. The team drew their weapons as Xemnas hit beside them. He stood tall for a moment, then collapsed to his knees.

"I need…more rage…I need more…hearts…"

Sora lowered his keyblade. "Xemnas. There's more to a heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?"

"Unfortunately…I don't." Dark shadows swirled around Xemnas and he vanished from sight.

Ignus was the first to speak as the tension left everyone's bodies. "You boys are really something special. That fight couldn't have been easy."

Sora followed as Riku walked away from the group. "You're coming back with us, right?"

"I had given in to the darkness…How am I gonna face everyone?"

"Like this!" Sora replied, pressing his hands to his face and sticking out his tongue.

Riku's laughter was abruptly cut off as a boom shook the castle.

"I'm guessing that's our cue to leave." Ignus said.

"I'll open a path." Riku raised his hand. Nothing happened.

"You conquered your own darkness, Riku." Ignus explained. "To do that, you had to separate your darkness from the greater power of the realm of darkness. You control it now, but it's only your own power. You won't be able to use the dark realm's powers or pathways again."

"So how do we get out of here, advisor?" Donald asked.

Ignus started to respond, then stopped and turned. A dark vortex had opened behind them.

"Who did this?" Donald asked.

"Naminé." Ignus answered. "I can feel her power in it. Anyway, time for that later. Everybody in!" He called, diving into the dark portal.

_Ignus's story will continue in A Flickering Light Book 6: The Heart of the Data_


End file.
